Garment-clasp



C` J. GUSTAVSEN.

GARMENT CLASP'.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I0, |912- RENEWED JAN. 19,1916.

Patented Aug. 22, 41916.

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CARL J. GUSTAVSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO HAMILTON CLASP COMPANY, OF PORTLAND,

MAINE.

MAINE, A CORPORATION OF GARMENT-CLASP.

Application filed October 10, 1912, Serial No. 725,087. Renewed January 19, 1916.

\ illustrate oneform in which the invention may be embodied: Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the clasp mounted upon a strip of flexible material such as webbing. Fig. 2 represents an elevation of theclasp detached from the flexible strip, the locking member of' the clasp'being retracted to enable the clasp to open. Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2, showing the locking member in locking position, for holding the clasp closed. Fig. 4 represents an elevation of the clasp inthe act of gripping an article.l

Fig. 5 represents a cross section in the plane indicated by line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section in the plane indicated by line 6*.6 of Fig. 4.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

The clasp comprises two members, to wit, a base 10 and a locking or operating member 11. Both members are adapted to be made and are-here shown as made of thin ductile sheet metal. The base member is provided with a transverse slot 12 at one end, a transverse slot `13 at the opposite end, and with two longitudinal slots or openings 14. The slots 12 and 13 are provided for the reception of a strip of flexible material such as webbing 15 upon which the clasp is mounted, one endof the stripbeing shown as lying between the base and the strip of webbing which extends under. the base.

The longitudinal slots 14 divide the body portion of the base plate into three portions, the two outer portions 0r side bars 16 constitutingY guides or tracks for the locking member 11. The intermediate portion between the slots 14 is severed by a transverse slit 17 which is preferably near the transverse slot 13 but at the same time between the ends of Specification of Letters Patent.

the slots 14. The severing due to the slit 17 provides a relatively long flexible tongue 18 whose free end is adapted to coperate with the edge indicated at 19 to clamp or grip an article a as shown by Fig. 4. The object in severing the tongue at a substantial distance above the lower ends of the slots 14 is to leave notches or pockets 14x adapted to admit la considerable bulk of the article which is to be gripped.

After the lower end of the tongue 18 is freed by forming the slit 17, the tongue is bent outwardly slightly along a transverse line between the free end and its junction with the base. In this way the free end of the tongue is normally displaced from the plane of the base so that there will be suflicient space to admit the article m when an edge of the article is inserted between the free end of the tongue and the base. i The gripping of the article is effected by pressing the free end of the tongue back into the plane of the base, the free end of the tongue, when thus restored to its original position, engaging the edge of the article which spans across the space between the side bars 16. The edge 2O at the free end of the tongue is thus brought back into close relation to the complemental edge 19 confronting the same, with which it cooperates to grip the article. The tongue is actuated and locked in gripping position by the member 11. This member is made of a relatively long narrow strip which is intel-locked with the members 16, 16 and 18. For the interlocked relation of these members see Fig. 5. The middle portion of `the member 11 crosses and lies upon the front of the tongue 18, and those portions near the ends of the memberv 11 extend downwardly through the openings or slots .14 and under the guides or side bars 16.

IFigs. 1 and 2, the free end stands away from the plane of the rest of the base; but when the member 11 is moved toward the free end of the tongue, its action upon the inclined front surface of the tongue causes the free end to move inwardly to gripping position in the plane of the other portions of' the base, but especially in the plane of the portion which presents the gripping edge 19. The locking member may encounter the inserted edge of the article a" before the free end of the tongue has been moved inwardly as far as it will go, in which case the article m becomes puckered, as represented by Fig. 4, as the result of continued movement of the locking member. The notches or pockets at 149 are adapted to accommodate the material of the article a@ which is thus puckered, and it is fer this reason that the edge 19 is disposed somewhat above the lower ends of the slots 141- instead of at the lower ends. That portion of the base which presents the edge 19'is in reality a tongue of the same character as the tongue 18, but it is so short that there is no perceptible flexibility.

When the locking member 11 is in locking position, the pressure of the tongue 18 against it and the consequent friction as between the tongue and the locking member and also as between the locking member and the guides 16, is sufficient to prevent accidental retraction of the locking member.

1V hen the sliding member is forced downi wardly so as to clamp the material. of the article between the complemental' edges 19 and 20, the end of said sliding member, which passes through the slots or openings 14, forces the material into the ends 11X of the openings 14 and crowds such material against the end walls of the openings, thus adding an additional clamping pressure upon such material. The pockets or ends 14X of the openings 14 accommodate sucient crumpled material to permit the slide to be moved to the end of the spring tongue 18 except when the material to be clamped is very thick. Even in the latter case, the provision of the pockets permits the sliding member to be moved much nearer the edge 19 than would be possible if these pockets were not provided.

The article may be released by merely moving the locking member' 11 in the opposite direction sufiicient-ly to enable the free end of the tongue 18 to spring out to open position. The article thereupon frees itself from the edge 19. The locking member will not move to locking position Vunless considerableforce is exerted upon it, the strength and angle of the tongue 18 being sufficient to hold the locking member in retracted position until it is manually operated. It will be observed that the portions of the base which are indicated at 22 are relatively narrow and are capable of being allel side guide bars, a spring tongue clasp without unduly restrictingthe thielr- Y ness of the metal.

It may be stated that the scale by which the drawings are made is about one and onehalf times as great as a full-sized clasp of the desired proportions for a hose supporter.

I claim: Y

1. A clasp comprising a'body having prtween the side `bars extending inwardly from one end of the body and terminating in a transverse clamping edge, a second tongue extending inwardly 'from the other end ofl the body and lterminating inra transverse edge complemental to the rst mentioned edge, and openings between said second tongue and said side bars, and a member extending across the spring tongue and slidingly engaged with said side bars for closnig the spring tongue into clamping relation to the second tongue, whereby fabric placed between said edges will be clampedbetween said edges and the crumpled `portions of the fabric displaced by the movement kof the sliding member will be forced into the ends of the openings adjacent the second mentioned tongue.

2. A clasp comprising a clamping plate and a sliding member mounted thereon, said plate having parallel side bars, a tongue between said bars, and a clamping edge for cooperating with the free end of said tongue, said sliding member having end portions engaging the under sides of said side bars, an intermediate portion engaging the upper side of said tongue for pressing the tongue into coperative clamping positionV relatively to said edge, andoffset portions each connecting one of said end portions with said intermediate portion, said offset portions being disposed between said tongue and said side bars respectively, said intermediate portion having a lip extending upwardly whereby said sliding member may be moved.

3. A clasp comprising a body having' parallel side guide bars, a spring Vtongue extending inwardly from one end of the body and lying between said bars, a rigid tongue extending'inwardly from the other end of the body and lying between said bars, said tongues being separated from said bars Vb v openings through-said body, the ends of saidY tongues being eomplemental and forming clamping edges to engage a fabric placed between them, and a sliding member Crossing the face of the spring tongue and having its ends passed through said openings and slidingly engaged with said side guide bars, whereby said slide is movable to close the spring tongue and to force crumpled portions of the fabric into the ends of the openings at the sides of the rigid tongue.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

CARL J. GUSTAVSEN. Witnesses JOHN E. PovnY, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

